Pumpkin pie is one of those very special things. It never fails to bring on the holiday spirit and is so tasty it really should be made more than once a year. This is a recipe I've developed through trial and error over many Thanksgivings. It's suitable for anyone with wheat & lactose intolerances too. Enjoy!
2cupspumpkin (or butternut squash) purée(2.5kg raw squash, if roasting)
2large eggs
¾cuphoney
1tspground cinnamon
1tspground ginger
½tspground nutmeg
¼tspground cloves
½tspsalt
250mlmilk- lactofree milk also works well here
Topping
whipping cream- lactofree cream works nicely too
dash of vanilla
Instructions
Prepare the squash/pumpkin. Slice butternut squash in half, lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and place (skin-side down) on baking trays. Preheat oven to 180°C.
Bake pumpkin/squash at 180°C for about 60 minutes (or until soft and you can easily stick a knife through it). Then Preheat oven to 190°C.
Meanwhile, make your pastry. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl, stir in the salt, then grate in the butter. Rub in using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir through the sugar. Mix the egg yolk with 2 tbsp iced water, and sprinkle half over the mixture. Then stir together with a knife until it comes together in a paste – add a little more of the liquid if necessary.
Bring the mixture together with your fingertips, and then roll out on a floured surface to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use it to line a 23 cm tart tin. Cover with clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Put in the oven for 15 minutes, then remove the paper and beans, and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the base is pale golden. Remove from the oven.
Turn the oven down to 180°C. Combine all filling ingredients and whizz! Just scoop out the pumpkin/squash flesh and it easily squidges into cup measures. Then pour the whizzed filling ingredients into your pastry case.
Bake for 70 minutes (or until the pie is fairly firm when you jiggle it)
Beat whipping cream into soft peaks with a dash of vanilla. Generously spoon onto your slice of pie. Yum!
Notes
Pumpkin pie isn't always made from pumpkins! I almost always use butternut squash. So, feel free to substitute whatever flavourful member of the squash/gourd family you can get locally.You need approx. 1.5 butternut squashes for one pie (about 2.5kg)